


Rain and Fire

by jebbypal



Category: Firefly
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-07
Updated: 2006-03-07
Packaged: 2017-10-10 05:02:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/95771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jebbypal/pseuds/jebbypal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Book waits for the rain to calm his anger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rain and Fire

Pouring rain has soaked him to the bone, but Book has no inclination to return to the shelter of Serenity. He'll have to go back eventually, but if he returns before the fire is put out, he'll break more commandments than just taking the Lord's name in vain.

He tenses when the sound of footsteps joins the pounding patter of the downpour. Old instincts die hard. When the sound draws close enough to be identified as Captain Malcolm Reynolds he starts counting to ten, and then to one hundred as he tries keep his anger reigned in.

An old voice wonders if the man was foolhardy enough to come alone and unarmed. Logic puts that voice down rather quickly – Zoe would never let Mal come to him unarmed after their earlier row. And if she did, no doubt she was observing from a sniper scope somewhere nearby. Book repeats his vows silently even as he prays to God to give him the patience to do no more bodily harm to Malcolm.

The footsteps fall to silence a few yards away, but Book refuses to turn or speak. To his mind, one miracle has already occurred today - the mountain has indeed come to him.

Soon, a cough sounds followed by Malcolm's raspy voice. The pride Book feels for every cough and strain as the captain hesitantly begins is sinful. "You should come on back to the ship now, Shepherd. It's all over and done with, in the past. Forgiven, even."

But not forgotten. Neither of them are the type of man who can forget. Years in the abbey taught Book how to submit, how to hide the color of the wolf that he has longed to kill. Since the day he first stepped onto Serenity, Malcolm has baited him incessantly, daring Book to challenge him for dominance. It's a testament to his faith that he was able to hold back as long as he did.

"Meaning that the only reason you are here is that Wash refuses to start the engines until I return."

A boot kicks clods of mud into his field of vision. "Didn't have to. Kaylee gave the catalyzer to River." That news causes the first smile of the day to grace Book's face. "I don't want this to be another standoff with you, Shepherd, but you were out of line. Serenity is my ship and I won't have you interfering with her or my crew. If we can't agree on that, well, maybe it's time your journey with us ended."

Book's instincts recognize the implied threat even as the man he was today spotted the lie. But the words hold a truth that Book has been desperate to ignore. He's tired of the constant journey and had deluded himself into believing that Serenity might be his last stop. And he'd been prideful enough to think that he alone could save Malcolm's soul.

"What you did yesterday, transporting that ..."

"Was a job," Mal interupts. "Nothing more. No one got hurt, the Alliance got a little frustrated, and we made a little money out of it. Better deal that I've gotten with those two orphans that you and half my crew is dead set that I keep hauling."

Frustration courses through his body as Book shakes his head. . "One day, Malcolm, maybe not soon, but one day, you'll be called to answer for decisions like this one. The excuse that you delight in frustrating the Alliance won't be a good defense," he advises before resuming his meditation on the combined beauty and destructive force of the rain

Book imagines that he can almost hear Mal's teeth grind. "Well, be sure to stay out here long enough to get Him out of your system. I believe I told you before that your god wasn't welcome on my ship," Mal says before his footsteps leave Book alone once again.

Book counts to a hundred again as he continues to wait for the rain and his faith to extinguish the fire. Captain Malcolm Reynolds was denser than Book had thought if the man believed he'd been referring to God.

In his heart, Book knows that Malcolm was right about one thing. Book would have to leave Serenity soon for the sake of his own soul and salvation.

He relaxes a bit as his instincts feel the invisible watcher leave her sniper's nest. The old voice tells him that he'll have to leave very soon if he wants to prevent Zoe from taking his own life.


End file.
